1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck, which extends the bed to rearward of the truck and surrounds both sides in a width direction of the tailgate and the rear side of the tailgate, on an upper side of the tailgate lowered in an approximate level with a rear direction of the truck.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
FIG. 10 is a perspective view for explaining a prior art, in which a pickup truck 100 is seen from upper rear side. In FIG. 10, a pickup truck 100 provided with a bed 103 having no roof which is monolithically formed with sidewalls 102 provided at the rear portion of a cab is shown.
A structure 110 for extending a bed is disposed on the upper side of a tailgate 104 lowered horizontally, and extends the bed rearwardly. The structure 110 is provided with a pair of sidewall portions 111 successively existing backward from the rear end of a sidewall 102 along both sides of the tailgate 104, and a front wall portion 112 blockading an area between the rear ends of both sidewall portions 111 extending along the rear end of the tailgate 104. The sidewall portion or front wall portion generally comprises plural stick-shaped members disposed at intervals, and therefore corresponds to a virtual wall.
A rotating axis 113 for supporting rotatably the structure 110 on a sidewall inner panel 102a located on rear portion of the sidewall 102 is provided on an outer side of the sidewall portion 111. Thus, the structure 110 can be rotated forward on the rotating axis 113, and the structure 110 can be housed in the bed 103 by closing the tailgate 104 with keeping the structure 110 on the floor 105 of the bed.
This structure 110 for extending the bed 103 is provided with a fixing belt 120 for fixing the structure 110 onto the tailgate 104 lowered horizontally. The fixing belt 120 is attached to each of both the sidewall portions 111, and provided with a metal fitting (hook) 121 capable of engaging the tailgate 104 attached onto its end.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view for explaining the condition that the bed 103 extends rearwardly by the use of the structure 110 for extending the bed 103. FIG. 12 is a perspective view for explaining the condition that the structure 110 is housed. The structure 110 having the above-mentioned construction is, as shown in FIG. 11, fixed onto the tailgate 104 by engaging the metal fitting 121 with the tailgate 104, and hence shake of the structure 110 generated during running of a truck can be suppressed.
On the other hand, when the structure 110 is rotated forward on the rotating axis 113 and disposed on the upper side of the floor 105 of the bed as shown in FIG. 12 to be housed by closing the tailgate 104, shake of the structure 110 is suppressed by bringing a tailgate inner panel 104a in contact with the end 111a of the sidewall portion 111 of the structure 110.
The structure 110 for extending the bed 103 is supported on the bed 103 only by the two rotating axes 113 disposed on left and right sides of the structure housed in the bed 103, as shown in FIG. 12. Hence, in case impact load is applied to the body of a truck to damage or deform the rotating axis 113 or a part supporting it, the structure is off the part supporting rotatably it to be thrown out from the bed 103, which occasionally has a secondary influence on surroundings.
Hence, the object of the present invention is to provide the structure for extending a bed which is prevented from separating from the body when the structure housed in the bed is off the part supporting rotatably it.
The present invention to attain the object is provided by a structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck;
the structure (assembly) being rotatably supported on a rear portion of the bed of the pickup truck, the pickup truck having the bed (provided at the rear of a cab) including a floor, a pair of side walls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to the rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate;
the structure being provided on an upper side (hereafter referred to as a first upper side) of the tailgate to extend the bed rearwardly when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and
the structure being provided on an upper side (hereafter referred to as a second upper side) of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;
wherein fixing means is provided for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor onto the bed is provided.
According to the above-mentioned invention, the structure for extending a bed is fixed on the bed by fixing means, and hence if impact load is applied to the body of a truck whereby the structure is off a part supporting it, the structure can be fixed onto the bed so as to have no secondary influence on surroundings.
The present invention to attain the object is also provided by a structure for extending a bed of a pickup truck;
the structure (assembly) being rotatably supported on a rear portion of the bed of the pickup truck, the pickup truck having the bed (provided at the rear of a cab) including a floor, a pair of side walls extending longitudinally along both edge sides of the floor, and a tailgate configured to be lowered in succession to the rear end of the floor and approximate level with the rear end by tilting the tailgate;
the structure extending from the rear end of the sidewalls to rearward of the body along both sides of the tailgate and extending in the width direction of the truck along the rear end of the tailgate whereby the floor of the bed extends rearwardly to convert the first upper side of the tailgate to a part of the floor, when the tailgate is lowered by rotation in a rear direction of the truck; and
the structure being provided on a second upper side of the floor to be housed in the bed when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction of the truck;
wherein fixing means is provided for fixing the structure arranged on the second upper side of the floor.
The above-mentioned invention is a further restricted embodiment of the first invention. According to the invention, the structure for extending a bed is fixed on the bed by a fixing means, and hence if impact load is applied to the body of a truck whereby the structure is off a part supporting it, the structure can be fixed onto the bed so as to have no secondary influence on surroundings.
In the structure for extending a bed, it is preferred that the fixing means permits fixing the structure arranged on the lowered tailgate onto the tailgate.
According to the above embodiment, by using the fixing means for fixing the structure on the bed when the structure is housed in the bed, the structure can be fixed onto the tailgate when the bed extends. Hence, the fixing means can be used when the structure is housed as well as extended, and therefore the fixing means is not needed to be provided in each case of housing and extending whereby the number of members can be reduced and the construction of the structure can be rendered simple to reduce coat.
In any of the structures for extending a bed, it is preferred that the fixing means has a fixing belt whose end is attached to the structure and whose length is adjustable, and a hook provided on the end of the fixing belt and capable of hooking on an anchor (part to be hooked) attached to the bed.
According to the above embodiment, the structure is rotated and arranged on the floor of the bed, and the hook of the fixing belt is engaged with the anchor before a length of the fixing belt is adjusted, whereby the structure can be fixed onto the bed.
In the above embodiment, it is preferred that;
the tailgate has a latch configured to be hooked on the rear ends of the sidewalls when the tailgate is rotated in a forward direction to be raised up, and
the fixing means is provided on the end of the fixing belt and provided with an engagement part capable of engaging the latch of the lowered tailgate,
the structure being fixed to the tailgate by engaging the engagement part with the latch of the lowered tailgate.
According to the above embodiment, the structure is arranged on the tailgate lowered by rotation, and the engagement part of the fixing belt is engaged with the latch that is not used on the extending of the bed, and then a length of the fixing belt is adjusted, whereby the structure can be fixed onto the bed. Hence, the fixing belt can be used when the structure is housed as well as extended whereby the number of members can be reduced and the construction of the structure can be made simple to reduce cost.
In the embodiment described above, it is preferred that the structure is provided with plural U-shaped members (i.e., stick-shaped members bent in the form of xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d) along a periphery of the first upper side of the lowered tailgate and combining members connecting U-shaped members to one another at vertical parallel intervals, and
the fixing belt is supported movably in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members.
According to the above embodiment, the fixing belt is supported movably in axial direction of the plural stick-shaped members by any of the plural stick-shaped members constituting the structure, and hence the belt can be moved to a position corresponding to the anchor or the latch whereby the structure can be firmly fixed onto the bed or tailgate. Hence, the structure can be firmly fixed onto the bed so as to have no secondary influence on surroundings if the structure is off the part for supporting it on the rear portion of the bed.
In the above embodiment, it is preferred that the fixing belt is attached removably to the stick-shaped members.
According to this embodiment, the fixing belt can be removed from the structure, and therefore the removed fixing belt can be used as, for example, an ordinary cargo belt for fixing cargo.
In any of two embodiments described just above, it is preferred that the stick-shaped members have control means controlling movement of the fixing belt in a defined range.
According to this embodiment, movement of the fixing belt against the structure is restricted to a defined range, and hence when length of the fixing belt is adjusted after the hook is hooked on the anchor or an engagement part is engaged to the latch, a range for adjusting the fixing belt can be reduced. Accordingly, work for fixing the structure can be rapidly and easily performed to improve convenience for use.